


There's a Fire in the Heartland

by shadowstake_us82



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Liv is there for a couple of seconds, M/M, Mild Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-28
Updated: 2020-01-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:33:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22453480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowstake_us82/pseuds/shadowstake_us82
Summary: Robert is out of prison and back at The Mill, but things are strained between him and Aaron. Have they reached the point of no return, or can they find their way back to each other?
Relationships: Aaron Dingle/Robert Sugden
Comments: 16
Kudos: 61





	There's a Fire in the Heartland

**Author's Note:**

> I was prompted on Tumblr (for first time ever for Robron *excited squeal*) to write PTSD implication for Robert now he's out of prison from the sentence "I don't know how to change it". 
> 
> To be honest, as I was writing I realised I probably couldn't make it work accurately, even with hitting the old Google and winging it; it's a serious medical condition, and I knew I wouldn't be able to do it justice. Robert's mental state is very much implied in the narrative without getting into labels or medical talk. 
> 
> I hope I got the balance in tones right here. I also hope there are no typos or errors anywhere as I re-read it six times before posting! (Which means there will be *groan*).

**_["Your heartache is not forever // It's another road that we walk together ..."]_ **

*

Silence. 

All consuming silence that had his ears ringing and his blood freezing. Aaron could count on one hand the times he'd seen his husband devastated, even lost, but he was hard pressed to recall a moment he ever saw him this broken.

He entered their home quietly. So many things were different now, yet a relieving familiarity remained, weak perhaps, but still very present. It enveloped them both the same; ignorant or blatantly disregarding the cold, bare fact of near-estrangement before them. Aaron had to admire its determination, and he wished for the strength it could reinforce him with now.

He let his eyes fall on the man he knew better than he knew himself sitting huddled and so still on their sofa. It was a challenge for Aaron to pinpoint each of his husband's breaths. He gently laid the shopping by the front door and softly walked towards him.

Robert glanced up. It was so strange. Since he had returned it was like he was moving in slow motion; every breath, every movement, every word uttered felt thin and jittery, all grace and confidence departed. He didn't feel like himself, didn't know himself any more, so how could he ask his husband to?

"What can I do?" Aaron whispered. He placed a gentle, reassuring hand on his shoulder and squeezed once, hoping the slight pressure would make his husband know he was there, that he would always be. He prayed he knew.

"I don't know how to change it."

At first Aaron was confused until haunted jade green eyes bore into his, a once glittering forest paled by winter's neglect. It hit him then just how hollow and fragile Robert truly was, just how adrift and unsure. Would he even recognise the man looking back at him from the mirror?

"Who says there's anything to change?" Aaron rasped, swallowing around the heavy lump in his throat. Suddenly a tank of his own regrets rolled over him slowly, crushing his sternum, making it nearly impossible to breathe.

Robert scoffed self-deprecatingly, "there _has_ to be. Or we're not gonna make it."

Aaron looked away, tried to focus on the bizarre engineer themed artwork scattered around their home; on the fridge magnets that Liv had spelled out rude words with so she could see the flicker of her brother's smile again. He sighed. Robert was right, they were going to have to face facts.

"I love you more than I can ever say, Aaron, but I know it can't always be enough. I know we have to talk. I know it's going to be hard for both of us. But I need you to know that no matter what happens, I'll never stop loving you or wanting to be with you; I'll never stop wanting us.."

Aaron turned his face again to his husband and waited.

... "I need your help." Robert finished on a breath, a wisp of air that barely passed his lips. 

Aaron nodded sadly, but gave Robert an encouraging smile and took his hand. "I know."

"You'll help me?"

"Just try and stop me."

Robert released a sigh of relief and managed the briefest of smiles. He leaned in and gently laid a kiss on his husband's lips. 

"I never did deserve you."

Aaron ran his fingers through the soft, slightly faded golden hair he loved so much and kissed his cheek. 

"Keep up that nonsense, and I'm gonna have to curse you with my cooking tonight."

Robert huffed a laugh out. "Mate, I've been inside for nearly six years, I reckon your cooking will be from the gods themselves."

"Cheeky sod", Aaron grinned, and grabbed his husband's face, playfully leaving a rougher kiss on his lips and sanding his chin with his stubble.

Robert yelped and moved backwards into the sofa. "Hey! None of that! I'm rusty when it comes to your beard burn, thanks."

"Better get reminding you again then, hadn't I?" Aaron smirked. 

"Ew _do you mind?!_ Two seconds back and already you're launching yourselves all over each other in the living room! I only came home for my tea."

Liv stood before them, and at twenty-four, trying to hide her grin beneath the valiant impression of a grossed out teenager, complete with disdainful scowl. Neither Aaron nor Robert bought it for a second.

"Just for that, you're doing the washing up." Aaron deadpanned.

"Does that mean you two will take the heart eyes upstairs and leave me in peace to binge my way through _Derry Girls_ again?" 

"Only if you tell me Clare has finally got herself a girlfriend now." Robert perked up, leaning with interest towards her.

"Are you going to buy me a whole bag of pick and mix tomorrow - and _not_ steal any of them?!"

"Have a heart, Liv! I haven't had a Toffee Crisp in six years!"

"Well whose fault is that? If you had kept lines of communication open _like we wanted_ , you might just have received a box or two!" Aaron suddenly snapped, surprising even himself.

Silence crashed back into their living room. Robert paled immediately, Liv could only let her mouth fall open in shock, and Aaron couldn't grip ahold of the sudden rage slamming around inside his head and chest.

Robert reached out to take his hand but Aaron jumped up from the sofa and headed towards the kitchen, muttering about starting dinner. Liv tried to find her voice so as to comfort and reassure Robert, but he slipped past her, heading towards the front door. It took just a moment for Aaron to realise it was only the two of them again in the house.

"Oh _, I don't fucking think so!"_ He thundered.

Aaron dropped the saucepans where they hit the small kitchen table painfully loudly, making the room echo unpleasantly. He sped past Liv towards the front door, all but yanking it off its hinges in his need to get outside.

"OI! WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING??! GET THE FUCK BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!"

From the bench in their front garden Robert nearly jumped out of his skin due to Aaron's furious outburst. He wasn't expecting the other man to follow him, never mind actually speak in any way to him at all. He held his hand to his chest and tried to calm his pounding heartbeat.

"Jesus Christ, Aaron! You've probably given Faith and Eric heart attacks and woken your mum up! She'll be on the phone right now calling for the Dingle family _bat_ symbol to be launched into the sky -"

"Are you finished?" 

"Any minute now it'll start flashing a signal at all of them to clear out their car boots!" 

"Are you done?!""

"God help anyone who's been abducted lately, they'll just be tossed on the side of the road-"

"ROBERT!"

"What?" The blond asked breathlessly, still with a protective hand clamped to his chest. 

"You _really_ need to know when to stop wagging that jaw, do you know that, mate? _Read the room!"_

"We're outside", he stammered uncertainly. 

Aaron just stood for a second staring in outrage at his husband, but then he felt it, something incredible; the warmth he felt, the adoration, the unequalled, unrivalled love he felt was back and rushing through him, making him feel he was seconds from falling to his knees from the weight of it.

"You are such an idiot!" Aaron gasped, tears instantly glassing over his vision.

"No, that's you", Robert replied, taking a step and then another towards his husband. "I'm your nightmare, and you're my idiot. How it always was, and -

" - How it always will be." They finished together, softly laughing and taking each other's hands.

"Jinx." Robert grinned, curling his arms around the slightly shorter brunette.

Aaron just shook his head and said "never ever again, you hear me?"

"Loud and clear ... Husband."

Aaron accepted the tall blond's kiss with a smile he could float away on. "Back in there now", he ordered, lightly resting his lips upon Robert's.

"Oh, yes, your cooking. I almost forgot I still have a poisoning to look forward to."

Aaron slapped Robert hard on his arse and shook his head, pointing towards the outer door to their flat.

"Inside now!"

With a suggestively raised eyebrow, Robert grinned. "Whatever you say... _boss."_

Aaron turned his face to the sky in faux despair while Robert sauntered past, sniggering triumphantly.

"Remind me again why I married you!" he called over to his husband before he was completely gone from view.

Robert turned and smiled smugly, "which time?" his smile softened when he saw Aaron's gaze melt. "Because you're madly in love with me, of course." He shrugged casually.

Aaron smirked, knowing it to be true. "And remind me again why I'm _still_ married to ya."

"Ahh, well that's an easy one", Robert smiled shyly, life once again sparkling back into his tired eyes as Aaron made his way towards him, "because you always will be."

They held hands as they walked inside their flat, shutting and locking the outer door behind them. Night lazily fell subdued around their home, laying the way for the morning to finally greet them as a family once more. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading. Feedback is always welcome. Robron is one of my fave OTPs, and I've wanted to write for them for a long time, but haven't felt brave enough; there are so many great fics and authors out there. I really hope you liked it. xoxo
> 
> Title and opening lyrics are from the song Wild Things by Ladyhawke. 
> 
> StrongestPersonIKnow on Tumblr, so come say hi! xoxo


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